Badgers Sleepwalk Their Way To Home Defeat

After getting the conference season off to a promising start with a decisive road victory over Nebraska, 11th-ranked Wisconsin men's basketball (1-1 Big Ten, 12-3 overall) laid an egg on Saturday, losing their Big Ten home opener to Iowa (1-1 Big Ten, 9-6 overall) by a final score of 72-65.

While many will point to Wisconsin's 3-of-28 performance from beyond the three-point line, the Badgers' first losing conference home opener in 12 years was the result of poor transition defense. After making defense a hallmark of their game throughout the non-conference schedule, UW allowed Iowa to score 14 points on fast break opportunities, with the Badgers only managing to notch two of their own.

UW's lack of depth was on clear display as they struggled from the get-go and couldnt turn to a viable alternative on the bench. Sophomore guard Ben Brust, Wisconsin's leading bench scorer at just over ten points a game coming into Saturday, struggled mightily against the Hawkeyes, the school he originally signed with prior to then-coach Todd Lickliter's dismissal. While the Hawkthorn Woods, Ill. native did finish with 11 points, he was 4-of-13 from the field and just 1-of-9 from beyond the arc, those misses leading to several fast break opportunities for the opportunistic Hawkeyes.

As much as Wisconsin's bench play was non-existent, Iowa's was the key to their victory. Freshman guard Aaron White led three Hawkeyes in double digits with 18 points on 6-of-7 shooting, the lone misfire being followed up by an offensive rebound and putback that gave Iowa the lead for good. Senior guard Bryce Cartwright also came up big off the bench, finishing the game with 17 points of his own on 7-of-12 from the field.

But the bottom line was that Wisconsin's inability to build depth in the non-conference portion of the season came back to bite them on Saturday. With junior forward Ryan Evans in foul trouble and limited to just 15 minutes of floor time, the Badgers were forced to have five players play over 30 minutes, with senior guard Jordan Taylor staying on the floor for the entire 40 minutes. Ultimately, fatigue set in, as Taylor and others were caught a step slow on the defensive end throughout the second half, something Badger fans have not been accustomed to seeing from what was the nation's top scoring defense.

Wisconsin now has just two days to prepare for a much stiffer test at home as Michigan State rolls into town on Tuesday night. With a road date against another top-20 team in Michigan just beyond that and another at Purdue to follow, Wisconsin is now staring a 1-4 start in Big Ten play square in the face.

One bad performance and the conversation has immediately gone from final four to bubble hopes. Oh how quickly things can change.

Badgers Set For Final Non-Conference Tune-Up

One of the more oft-mentioned mantras in sports is that each and every game is a unique challenge in itself, the old "one game at a time" philosophy. But as Wisconsin men's basketball sets to cap off their non-conference season today against Mississippi Valley State, one has to believe they have their eye on Nebraska.

After their 6-0 start was derailed by consecutive losses at the hands of Marquette and North Carolina, the 14th-ranked Badgers (10-2) have turned their season back on the right track with victories over UW-Green Bay, UNLV, UW-Milwaukee, and Savannah State heading into the final exam break. With just one final game between them and Tuesday night's conference opener in Lincoln, the Badgers know that this game has to be more than simply about winning.

But while preparation is on the minds of the Wisconsin players and coaching staff as they get set to face the Delta Devils (1-9), there is also a keen recognition of whatever validity remains in the "one game at a time" myth. After all, a sluggish performance Friday does the Badgers no good with Christmas followed up almost immediately by the first Big Ten road test of the season. 

One player who needs to get back on track is senior guard Jordan Taylor. While the preseason All-American has continued to play the point with unparalleled efficiency, the shot has simply been off most of the season for the Bloomington, Minn native. That said, Taylor's 0-for-10 performance in the December 10th victory over UNLV seemed to be the rock bottom and since then Taylor has rattled off games of 14 and 12 points. His presence on the offensive end, not simply as the facilitator, is something the Badgers will need as they head into Big Ten play.

Serving as the matinee for Friday night's women's game against UW-Green Bay, the Badgers will tip off at 4:30 at the Kohl Center, looking to finish off the non-conference season 11-2 for the 2nd straight season.

Badgers Roll Into Finals With Big Win

After surviving a tough road test Tuesday night in Milwaukee, Wisconsin men's basketball returned home to the Kohl Center and stormed past an overwhelmed Savannah State (1-1 MEAC, 4-8 overall) team in their 66-33 win Thursday night. The Badgers (10-2) were quick out of the gates, hitting 8 of their first 9 shots while jumping out to a 16-4 lead just over 5 minutes into the game.

Once again, junior forward Jared Berggren led the scoring for UW. The Princeton, Minn native followed up his 17 point performance against Milwaukee with 13 points Thursday night, 11 coming in the first half. Berggren took advantage of the smaller Savannah State front court and imposed his will on the interior.

All five Wisconsin starters finished the game with at least 8 points, with 4 of the 5 finishing the night in double figures scoring. Sophomore guard Josh Gasser had a resurgence of sorts, finishing the night 4-of-7 from the field en route to a 10 point, 5 rebound night.

The Badgers now take a week off for finals before finishing off the non-conference season on December 23rd against Mississippi Valley State. The Big Ten opener at Nebraska is now just 12 days away.

Badgers Eek Out Road Win in Milwaukee

MILWAUKEE, Wis.-Leading by 17 points with just over 15 minutes left, it seemed as if Wisconsin men’s basketball would have no trouble picking up its first true road win of the young season. But after UW-Milwaukee (2-0 Horizon, 8-3 overall) responded with a 21-4 run over the next ten minutes, the Badgers immediately had a fight on their hands. But thanks in large part to a clutch three-pointer in the final minute made by senior guard Jordan Taylor, Wisconsin (9-2 overall) got out of Milwaukee with a 60-54 victory.

Playing in front of a crowd of 10,143 at US Cellular Arena, the largest crowd in UW-M history, it looked for much of the night as if UW was going to run away with a rout. Junior forward Ryan Evans gave the Badgers a big lift throughout the first half and early in the 2^nd, scoring a career-high 16 points in just the first 26 minutes of the game.

“{Evans} did a really good job of taking his assignments and sticking to them,” UW head coach Bo Ryan said. “He was also able to get some buckets finished underneath and to get to the free throw line…defensively he has been doing a good job {all season} and offensively, same thing.”

But as Evans began to struggle offensively, Panther Senior forward Tony Meier took center stage, leading a sudden charge that took Tuesday’s game from laugher to dual in a matter of minutes. Meier finished the game with a team-high 15 points on 6-of-16 shooting, hitting two clutch three-point shots during the Panther run before going cold as UW-M faded down stretch.

Tuesday night was all about runs. Wisconsin got off to a hot start with a 14-2 run in the first half that gave them a 22-8 lead in the first half. Ultimately, the cushion that early run gave UW allowed them to withstand a furious comeback by the Panthers that had US Cellular Arena rocking late in the 2^nd half.

Having survived the test Milwaukee gave them, the Badgers are now able to use the experience gained Tuesday night as they head into Big Ten play.

“It was a good road test for us to play in an environment like this,” junior forward Jared Berggren said. “To survive the run they made, its good preparation for what is to come in the Big Ten season and the rest of the year.”

After missing a late shot that could have gotten the Badgers right back in the game against North Carolina, Taylor’s last-minute heroics were a welcome sight for a Badger team desperately needing their star point guard to recover from his recent slump. Giving a discernible yell after the bucket, it was clear Taylor understood the enormity of the shot, one that gave UW a cushion they ultimately rode to the six-point win.

“I felt like he backed off a bit so I took the shot,” Taylor said. “I was just fortunate to have it go down.”

Evans recalled the shot a bit differently, noting that he saw something in Taylor that has been missed over the past few weeks.

“To tell you the truth, I knew it was going in…” Evans said. “There’s a look in his eye when you know Jordan is going to make the shot.”

With their first road victory now in hand, the Badgers now look forward to the homestretch of the non-conference schedule. Just two games and 14 days remain before the Big Ten opener in Lincoln, Nebraska on December 27^th. 

Badgers Set for Road Test in Milwaukee

Having seemingly gotten back on their feet after two consecutive losses to top-10 teams North Carolina and Marquette, #14/15 Wisconsin (8-2, 0-0 Big Ten) now faces its final road test of the non-conference schedule as they visit in-state rival UW-Milwaukee (8-2, 2-0 Horizon) on Tuesday night.

Fresh off of a win over UNLV on Saturday, arguably their best victory of the young season, the Badgers now set out to prove that they can win on the road. Although Wisconsin is 27-1 all-time against Milwaukee and a perfect 10-0 under head coach Bo Ryan, the Panthers have a tournament-ready team this season, having already taken down Big East member DePaul in non-conference play.

“Milwaukee is a really, really good team…” UW junior forward Mike Bruesewitz said Sunday. “They haven’t lost at home yet so they are going to be a real challenge for us.”

One of the challenges in facing the Panthers this season is that they don’t really have a stand out scorer. While leading scorer Kaylon Williams is averaging just 12.8 points per contest, Milwaukee has three players averaging in double figures, with another three clocking in above the 8.5 point per game mark as well. Fighting injuries throughout the season, the Panthers have done a remarkable job of replacing lost production while playing all ten games without at least one projected starter.

While Wisconsin is a staggering 158-12 at home under coach Ryan, once they leave the Kohl Center they are a modest 55-57. After finishing last season just 5-6 in true road games, winning on the road immediately became a point of emphasis heading into the 2011-2012 campaign. Already having lost their first road test at #5 North Carolina, the Badgers desperately need to pick up a win on their opponent’s home floor, if for no other reason than to build confidence heading into the demanding Big Ten schedule.

“To go into their place and get a win would be huge against a good team…” sophomore guard Josh Gasser said. “A road win is a road win, its always good to have one under your belt.”

From day 1, the focus this season has been on the play of a trio of juniors in the backcourt. While Jared Berggren has been a constant presence on the floor for UW, the play of fellow Bruesewitz and Ryan Evans has fluctuated wildly along the spectrum, great at times and anything but at others.

Both had been struggling of late before resurgent performances in Saturday’s win. Bruesewitz picked up a career-high 10 rebounds to lead the way for the Badgers, with Evans adding 9 for a career-high of his own. Their presence on the glass, something missing during the lull UW seemed to hit at the beginning of the month, makes Wisconsin much more dangerous no matter where they play.

“We’ve got so many guys who can score…” Gasser said. “We just try to do the little things and when our chances are open, knock them down and make some plays.”

With finals just a week away and Big Ten play not far behind, the mental challenge of staying in the moment might be the toughest task to handle as the Badgers try to take care of business in Milwaukee.

“We do a good job as a team to make sure that we get that stuff done off the court,” sophomore guard Ben Brust said. “When we are on the court, you’ve got to be focused all the time.”

“This week is going to be a little bit of a struggle…” Bruesewitz admitted. “But that is why you are a Division 1 athlete.”

Big Day From Brust Gives Badgers Much-Needed Win

It was far from pretty, but the Badgers finally picked up the non-conference win they needed as they defeated UNLV 62-51 on Saturday. While Wisconsin (8-2, 0-0) shot just 37% from the field as a team, sophomore guard Ben Brust saved them from a far worse number, finishing the afternoon with a career-high 25 points on 8-of-9 shooting, including a 7-for-7 mark from behind the three-point line. “Ben {today} makes close to half of our field goals. Without that we don’t win…” senior guard Jordan Taylor said. “Defensively it was a good effort and Ben took it over on the offensive end. We won. Doesn’t matter how you get it done.” “The past three games, a lot of them felt good, they just weren’t going in,” Brust said after tying his own school record from 3-point range. “You just have to have shooters amnesia and just keep firing to shoot out of it.” Beyond the record-setting shooting day by Brust, the Badger defense stifled a high-powered Rebel offense that had already scored 90 points in a win over North Carolina earlier in the year. UNLV sophomore forward Mike Moser, who came into Saturday averaging 15.8 points and 12.5 rebounds per game, only managed 4 points, picking up 9 of his 11 rebounds on the defensive glass. Despite struggling on the boards in recent games, UW dominated on Saturday, picking up 10 offensive rebounds against UNLV (9-2, 0-0) and putting up 8 more shots than the Runnin’ Rebels. “The fact that {UNLV} did not have an offensive rebound in the first half, I thought our guys did a good job of putting bodies on them,” UW head coach Bo Ryan said. “We battled them on the glass, I can take that.” That work on the defensive end ultimately allowed Wisconsin to overcome a poor shooting performance in addition to a tough day for Taylor. The Badgers’ preseason All-American point guard was shadowed on the offensive end the entire contest, finishing 0-for-10 from the field with just 4 points. Taylor also finished with an uncharacteristic 3 turnovers despite managing 6 assists. Ultimately, UNLV could only manage one player in double digits scoring, as senior forward Chase Stanback led the way with 16 points on 5-of-9 shooting. Still, that was a far cry from the 25 points he threw down on the Badgers in UNLV’s 68-65 win last season in Las Vegas. “They are a very talented team, they score close to 80 or 90 points a game…” junior forward Mike Bruesewitz said. “Something I think we need to continue to do is to hang our hat on our defense and keep holding those high scoring teams within our threshold and make sure we can take care of business that way.” Though Brust was certainly the headline, the re-emergence of Bruesewitz and sophomore guard Josh Gasser was perhaps the most encouraging sign as the Badgers move on to the latter part of the non-conference slate. Bruesewitz rebounded from recent struggles to have a solid afternoon, showing much more energy on both ends of the floor than he had shown over the last few games. His 6 points and team-high 10 rebounds were crucial for a Badger team that has not done the little things quite as well of late. And having struggled offensively while being hampered by a sore right wrist, Gasser made his presence known from the get-go, finishing with 6 points and 8 rebounds at the second guard spot. “I felt like I was able to put the ball on the floor a little bit against their bigger guys,” Bruesewitz said. “That takes some pressuring off Jordan, trying to get in the lane. I was able to create some stuff for myself and for my teammates.” Next up for the Badgers is a midweek road game against UW-Milwaukee. The Panthers (8-2, 2-0 Horizon) are coming off a 67-51 loss to Northern Iowa and are coached by former UW assistant coach Rob Jeter. Tip time is 7:00pm on Tuesday. “It’s only a third into the season and its moving fast…” Taylor said. “If we put it all together we’ve got a team that can do a lot of things this year.”

Ted Porath- All Attention on UNLV

This weekend's matchup will be the Badgers' (7-2 overall) final game of a three-game home stand and will be the second game of a home-and-home series the Badgers currently have with UNLV (9-1). Wisconsin will look to take out some revenge on the Rebels, as UNLV beat the Badgers in Las Vegas last year 68-65. After breaking a two-game slide in a romp of UW-Green Bay, the Badgers now turn their attention to unranked UNLV. While this might seem like a game Wisconsin should win easily, that is definitely not the case. UNLV, despite losing its place in the AP Top-25 due to a 19-point loss to a capable Wichita State squad, holds a 9-1 record and was the team that took down then-No. 1 North Carolina from the ranks of the unbeaten. If UNLV can take down North Carolina-a team that beat Wisconsin earlier this year-it can certainly give the Badgers all they can handle. Leading the way for the Runnin' Rebels this year has been sophomore forward Mike Moser, who leads UNLV in both points per game (15.8) and rebounds per game (12.5). While Moser can dominate on the inside like he did against an NBA-like North Carolina front line, against which he racked up 18 rebounds, he can also stretch the floor by making three-point baskets. Moser's ability to play both inside and out will definitely pose a big concern for the Badgers Saturday. Another big concern for the Badgers will be UNLV's man-to-man pressure defense, made famous by former UNLV coach Jerry Tarkanian. The defense has forced an average of 16 turnovers per game this season. With this pressure defense and its ability to push the ball on offense, UNLV will try to get the Badgers out of their slow-paced possession-by-possession style and force them to play at a much faster pace, which UNLV hopes will get the Badgers uncomfortable and cause the them to commit a high amount of turnovers. This should be a concern for the Badgers because in their game against Marquette-a team that features a similar pressure-style defense-the Badgers looked frustrated all afternoon and committed 12 turnovers, including five by normally sure-handed senior point guard Jordan Taylor. With UNLV putting pressure on the ball, somebody else for the Badgers will have to step up and play big to take pressure off of Taylor. A player who can do that is sophomore guard Josh Gasser. Gasser, who got out to a hot start in the first part of the season, has not scored more than seven points in any of his last four games. If Gasser can regain his early season form, with his ability to penetrate and making outside shots, he can exploit an overaggressive UNLV defense. Look for Gasser to get back in the swing of things and be an x-factor for the Badgers Saturday. Read more: http://host.madison.com/daily-cardinal/sports/men-s-basketball-all-attention-on-unlv/article_0a2381ba-2214-11e1-a630-0019bb2963f4.html#ixzz1g9mionHK

Ted Porath- Badgers Down In-State Rival

After two straight losses, the No. 16 Wisconsin men’s basketball team got back on track against in-state foe UW-Green Bay. The Badgers (7-2 overall) looked like a team on a mission and soundly defeated the Phoenix (4-5 overall, 2-0 Horizon), 70-42. “We felt we wanted to come in here and definitely get a win. I think we were a little bit more focused,” junior forward Ryan Evans said. After a rough afternoon against Marquette on Saturday, in which he had an uncharacteristic five turnovers, senior point guard Jordan Taylor returned to his preseason All-American form against the Phoenix, scoring a game-high fifteen points while dropping in ten assists for his first double-double of the year. In classic Taylor fashion, this was all accomplished without committing a single turnover. “Ten assists, zero turnovers, there’s not too many guys in the country that have that,” head coach Bo Ryan said. “He saw the floor well. He would get an angle and guys would help to him and he’d find the open guy, and that’s being a good point guard.” Also contributing to the Wisconsin victory were Evans and junior center Jared Berggren, who scored 14 and 13 points respectively, providing a much needed presence in the paint. The Badgers bench was also a big contributor, with a total of ten different players combining for 21 total points. “It’s always good to see when you have guys come off the bench. We know we have plenty of guys who can step in and give us some good minutes, and we were able to show it tonight,” Berggren said. After Green Bay cut the Badgers’ lead to one at 12-11, Wisconsin was able to distance themselves from the Phoenix, going on a 14-1 run to take a 26-12 lead despite rotating subs off the bench early and often. Wisconsin was able to keep the lead at double digits and went into halftime up 33-21. Wisconsin continued the shooting woes that plagued them in their first two losses, shooting only 36 percent from the field and making only two out of 11 from behind the arc in the first half. Fortunately for the Badgers, they continued to play great defense, forcing the Phoenix to shoot under 30 percent and causing nine turnovers in the first half. Wisconsin wasted no time taking control of the game in the second half, scoring eight straight points coming out of the break to boost their lead to 20 points. The Badgers continued to tack on from there and cruised to the victory. The biggest reason for the Badgers’ success in the second half was their ability to finally start making consistent shots; the Badgers shot 58 percent from the field in the second half. This was not the case for the Badgers’ three-point shooting, however, as they shot three out of 17 from behind the arc, continuing their recent long-distance shooting struggles. This lack of shooting could be seen as a silver lining, as the Badgers won a game while not shooting well from three. Wisconsin will now look forward to their final game of the three-game home stand against UNLV.

Badgers Begin To Begin New Streak Against In-State Rival

After seeing their 23-game home win streak brought to an end Saturday with a 61-54 defeat at the hands of #11 Marquette, #14 Wisconsin (6-2, 0-0) will quickly have the opportunity to begin a new streak as Green Bay visits the Kohl Center Wednesday night. The Phoenix (4-4, 2-0) have never won in 14 games played against the Badgers in Madison and are 0-4 on the road thus far this season. However, head coach Brian Wardle’s team is riding high after winning back-to-back games this past weekend to start Horizon League play. With many of the Phoenix players having grown up in the shadow of Wisconsin basketball, the annual matchup with the Badgers is something that Green Bay always has circled on the calendar. “Having been on both ends of it, its pretty exciting…” UW head coach Bo Ryan said of the intra-state rivalry. “Having coached at UW-Milwaukee, I knew what it was like getting ready for this. You know what the players are thinking. Its just natural.” While this is certainly one of the bigger games of the year for Green Bay, it remains an important test for Wisconsin as well. UW heads into Wednesday night having lost its past two games and clearly in need of a quick turnaround. With another ranked opponent in UNLV scheduled to come to Madison this weekend, the Badgers must shake off the cobwebs and do more than just squeak away with a victory. “Obviously first of all we want to get the win anyway possible,” sophomore guard Josh Gasser said Monday. “But at the same time we just want to get into the flow of our offense together. I guess we need to get our mojo, our swagger back that we had at the beginning of the year when we were just so confident and in a flow.” At least on paper, it seems that goal number one for the Badgers has to be to shoot at a higher percentage. After shooting nearly 50% from the field in the first six games, Wisconsin has struggled mightily in two losses over the past week, shooting just 36% from the field against North Carolina and just 32% in the loss to Marquette. But for UW to really turn the offense around, there is plenty they can do in order to get the shots falling once again. “We just need to do a better job of moving the ball as a team…” senior guard Jordan Taylor said. “We’ve gotten stagnant at times, a lot of the time. So its just a matter of getting back to our stuff and keeping the ball moving.” One thing that Wisconsin must improve upon is the scoring spread. After having six different players post games with double-digit scoring over the six-game winning streak at the start of the year, only three players have hit the mark since. Against Marquette, only Taylor managed to cross the ten-point threshold, finishing with 13 points on 4 of 10 shooting. But first and foremost, the Badgers have to take care of the ball. During their three-point loss in Chapel Hill, Wisconsin only turned the ball over four times, the lowest any team has been forced into against North Carolina since Duke only had three in a neutral site game back in 2002. But while that performance left many people impressed with the Badgers even in defeat, a 12-turnover game at home against the Golden Eagles gave plenty of cause for concern. “On Saturday we kind of laid an egg,” junior forward Jared Berggren said. “I felt like we didn’t put our best foot forward and for whatever reason Marquette just got the best of us.” Just five games remain before Wisconsin opens up Big Ten play at Nebraska on December 27th and having suffering tough losses in their two toughest non-conference matchups, the Badgers know that they need to right the ship and head into conference play on a good note. “Anytime you lose its critical to come back and win the next time…” Taylor said. “Its just a matter of getting back on track. Making shots, playing basketball.”

Short Sighted Coaching Opens Door For Badger Slide

Wisconsin got off to a 6-0 start with ease. Winning by an average of nearly 40 points and finishing no game with less than a 17-point margin of victory. Their confidence was through the roof and many were finally starting to talk about the Badgers as one of the nation’s elite. But amidst the early season success, Wisconsin missed out on an opportunity to help themselves come time for the inevitable spell of adversity to rear its ugly head. Through Wednesday night’s 60-57 defeat on the road against #5 North Carolina, the Badgers had only 7 players averaging double digit minutes. This for a team that had only played one tight game so there was plenty of “garbage time”. Against UNC, the lack of depth wasn’t overtly apparent, but it did play a role. With junior forward Jared Berggren heading into foul trouble, freshman Frank Kaminsky was forced to see significant time against Tar Heel senior forward Tyler Zeller, a 7-footer who has dominated more than his fair share of big men over his tenure in Chapel Hill. Kaminsky wasn’t awful, but Zeller definitely found his comfort zone when the freshman had to fill in with Berggren on the bench. In Saturday’s 61-54 loss to Marquette, the lack of depth was as clear as the light of day. Marquette got off to a fast start and while UW was able to cut two separate double-digit deficits to just a single possession, each time they failed to sustain the momentum. Fatigue was going to be an issue after the tough game against Carolina, but with Wisconsin unable to go more than 8 deep, it was arguably a deciding factor. But depth should not be an issue for this year’s Badger team. Wisconsin has plenty of ability sitting on the bench that can play the fill-in role more than admirably. The problem is that those potential role players were never given an opportunity to see the floor early in the season and as a result, they are totally unprepared to contribute in the clutch. Beyond the risk of injury, there is simply no reason for starters to be playing during the last three minutes of a 40-point game. You build the lead, earn yourself the privilege of spreading out the minutes, and essentially squander the opportunity. Compare that to Marquette head coach Buzz Williams. Williams’ team started off the season in a similar fashion to Wisconsin, blowing out mediocre opponents in preparation for a big matchup in Madison. But instead of sticking with starters in meaningless “garbage time”, Williams made sure that the role players were ready when duty came calling. In fact, every player on Marquette’s roster with the exception of one (who hasn’t been eligible until recently) has averaged double digit minutes thus far this season. So not surprisingly, Williams was able to get the win in Madison with a 10 man rotation, finishing the Badgers off simply by wearing them down on their home floor. Sometimes as a coaching staff you need to be thinking beyond the present. The “one game at a time” mentality is great for answering questions at the weekly press conference, but the reality is that when you have a 77-44 lead with 4 minutes left, you shouldn’t be thinking just about winning the game at hand. This is where the Badgers went wrong. In focusing on the present and the present only while running over mediocre opponents from Kennesaw State to Wofford, UW lost itself a 23-game winning streak. They lost the Marquette game by only thinking of the here and now while running over the sacrificial lambs paid to come in and start off the season at the Kohl Center. Getting everyone into the game and into the act isn’t about compassion for the guys on the end of the bench, its about making sure that those guys can be counted in when the time comes for them to contribute. Saturday afternoon was one of those times when they were needed and because the UW coaching staff made no attempt to get them involved when the opportunity was there, they weren’t ready when they simply had to be. Jordan Taylor was in foul trouble. Ben Brust and Josh Gasser couldn’t buy a jump shot. Mike Bruesewitz was having a tough time shaking defenders. And both Ryan Evans and Jared Berggren couldn’t get themselves open on the low post. But there was no backup plan, there was no second option. Buzz Williams had that backup plan. Guard Junior Cadougan was out after violating team rules and forward Jae Crowder struggled with foul trouble. However, unlike Ryan, Williams was able to turn to a bench that eventually responded with 32 points to Wisconsin’s 11. And 9 of those 11 for UW came from guard Ben Brust, whose normally reliable 3-point shot was strikingly off throughout the entire contest. Badger fans wonder how Wisconsin seemingly always falls prey to the five, six, seven minute scoring drive at a crucial moment. It was those droughts, midway through the 2nd half against UNC and late in the 1st against Marquette, that have put UW in a two-game tailspin. The reason for them is simple: no bench. When the starting five (and 6th man Brust) get cold, there is no one able to pick up the slack. This has to change and it has to change quick. Wisconsin has to stop practicing with former players (and thus reducing the time that bench players get in 5-on-5 situations during practice), they have to stop leaving starters in the game during “garbage time”, and they have to commit themselves to finding a bench capable of making plays in big spots. The talent is there. There are guys on that bench plenty capable of hitting a big three, of keeping the opposition in check, of getting the starters some much needed rest. But thus far, the coaching staff doesn’t seem interested. Saturday, the Badgers had all five starters cross the 30 minute mark in playing time, with Brust rounding things off with 28 minutes of his own. Rob Wilson and Frank Kaminsky were the only other Badgers to see the floor, only getting five minutes a piece. That is simply not a winning formula. The season is young and after losing a tough game in Chapel Hill by just three points to a team that is clearly among the top 5 in the nation, the Badgers still have a chance to make some noise on the national stage. But if they want to do so, it will have to be with a bigger rotation than what they have now. As physical as Big Ten play is, there is simply no way that Wisconsin can contend with what amounts to a 6 or 7 man rotation. Excluding UNLV on Saturday, the rest of the Badgers’ non-conference schedule is filled with cupcakes. A road matchup in Milwaukee might be a bit of a challenge but I think it is safe to say that games against UW-Green Bay, and Mississippi Valley State are likely to finish in blowout fashion. Those are the most important games of the season right now. If Wisconsin can use those three games to find a bit of depth, then they still remain capable of competing for a Big Ten title. If they enter conference play with the same rotation they have now, it is going to be a long winter.

Ted Porath: Marquette Up Next

The Wisconsin men's basketball team (6-1 overall) suffered their first blemish on the season Wednesday night in the finale of the Big Ten-ACC Challenge, losing to the No. 5 North Carolina Tar Heels 60-57. They now turn their attention to Saturday's matchup with in-state rival Golden Eagles as they welcome No 16. Marquette (6-0) to the Kohl Center. Despite the loss, the Badgers proved that they could hang with and challenge one of the best teams in the country and cemented the fact that they will be a major challenger to current No. 2 Ohio State for the Big Ten title once they hit conference play. A main reason for Wisconsin to feel good about the future prospects of the season was junior center Jared Berggren's play against one of the best front lines in the country on Wednesday night, featuring NBA lottery picks in Tyler Zeller and John Henson. Berggren was a force as the five man, scoring 14 points, hauling in five rebounds and even coming up with three steals. He challenged Zeller and Henson at both ends of the court, playing tough post defense and forcing the two Carolina big men to guard him in the post and on the perimeter. If Berggren is able to continue to build off of the way he played against UNC, he may be able to give Ohio State's Jared Sullinger a run for his money as the best big man in the Big Ten. The main reason for the loss was that the Badgers' reliance on the three-point shot finally came back to bite them. Wisconsin was eight for 28 from behind the arc (28.6 percent), which pales in comparison to the 47 percent shooting from three-point range the Badgers had going into the game. A direct result of the Badgers' reliance on the outside shot was the fact that Wisconsin was only able to get to the foul line six times (making only three), while Carolina was able to get the Badgers into foul trouble in each half, allowing them to shoot 24 free throws (making 19 of them). To become a more complete team on offense, the Badgers must find a way to get more penetration into the lane, which will not only get them more foul shots, but get them wide open three-point shots as well. The main concern for the Badgers against Marquette this weekend, however, will be containing Marquette's stellar offense which comes into this game leading the nation in scoring offense (88 points per game) and field goal percentage (53 percent). The Golden Eagles are led by senior guard Darius Johnson-Odom and senior forward Jae Crowder, who are each averaging over 19 points a game this season. Crowder and Johnson-Odom were instrumental in Marquette's latest win over the Jacksonville State Dolphins, as Crowder scored a career-high 27 points and Johnson-Odom added in 19. This Saturday's matchup will be the 118th between the two teams. Wisconsin currently holds a 64-53 edge in the all-time series and has beaten Marquette in the last two meetings. Read more: http://host.madison.com/daily-cardinal/sports/article_31ea0042-1cac-11e1-87bd-0019bb2963f4.html?sourcetrack=moreArticle#ixzz1fOCQfMCn

Poor Shooting Night Brings Badgers’ Hard Fought Battle With UNC To A Losing Finish

Its often said that there are no moral victories in the sports world but on Wednesday night in Chapel Hill, the Badgers got about as close as one could get to proving that theory wrong. Despite shooting well under 40% from the field, Wisconsin hung with #5 North Carolina in a hostile Smith Center environment, eventually coming out on the losing end, 60-57. The finale of this season’s ACC/Big Ten Challenge (won by the Big Ten for the 3rd straight year) was one of the best games the challenge has seen in some time. “It was hard for us to get a good look. We were trying to make it hard for them to get good looks,” UW head coach Bo Ryan said. “That was as hard fought a game as I’ve ever been involved in as a coach.” Wisconsin (6-1, 0-0) held North Carolina (6-1, 0-0) in check for most of the game, completely stifling a vaunted North Carolina fast break that only managed two points the entire contest. “You don’t do that to Carolina…” Ryan said. “I thought our guys did a great job of getting back on defense.” “Fantastic college basketball game,” UNC head coach Roy Williams said. “Not the prettiest game at all, ever. Sometimes you need to win like that. Like I told Bo {Ryan} ‘Im glad we don’t play you anymore’.” The Badgers led 36-31 with 12 minutes left and had two possessions to completely silence an already quiet Smith Center crowd. But after failing to capitalize on the opportunity, Tar Heel sophomore forward Harrison Barnes nailed a contested jumper for 3 of his game-high 20 points to put Carolina right back in business. Then UNC headed to the line to throw down the hammer. Senior forward Tyler Zeller hit two free throws to tie the game at 38 with just under 10 minutes to play and sophomore forward Reggie Bullock followed from two of his own from the charity stripe to give the Heels a 40-38 lead, one that they would never look back from. The 18-5 UNC run erased what looked to be a solid Badger lead and put UW in a hole they simply couldn’t recover from. “Shots just weren’t going down…” senior guard Jordan Taylor said. “Some of them were good looks, but you just have to knock them down.” “We’ve had those runs as well,” Ryan added. “They happen in basketball.” Looking back, it is pretty amazing that UW hung as close to Carolina as they did while shooting just 36% from the field and just 8 of 28 from beyond the arc. Add in the fact that UNC went 19 of 24 to UW’s 3 of 6 from the line and you have just about as good a case as any for this being a true moral victory. “We expected to come in and win this…” Taylor said. “Anybody who comes into Carolina, it’s the superbowl for everybody. We wanted to win this game.” Junior forward Jared Berggren, facing perhaps the most talented front line in the nation, had a breakout performance. Although he fouled out in the final minute, Berggren finished with 18 points and 5 rebounds, adding 3 steals on the interior as well. “He’s getting better. He’s a good player and he works hard,” Ryan said of Berggren. “He’s starting to come into his own, its good to see.” The Badgers now head back to Madison to face intra-state rival Marquette, another team with an unblemished record. Although UW certainly wanted this one, home dates with Marquette and UNLV coming up the next two Saturdays give the Badgers a chance to get right back on track. “No coach can stand here and answer a question about what guys learned when it just happened,” Ryan said. “You find out the next game and the next game and the next game.”

UNC 25, UW 24 Half

Despite their worst shooting performance of the year and several periods of shaky defense, the Badgers are right where they want to be at the half. UNC has had the lead much of the game but after a Harrison Barnes jump shot bumped that lead to 9, Wisconsin closed on a 14-6 run over the final 11:03 of the half to head into the break within 1. The Badgers havent been able to make anything despite getting many open looks. At halftime, UW is just 10/32 from the field, shooting just 20% from beyond the 3-point arc. On the other hand, UNC is shooting nearly 48% from the field, capitalizing on their length to get easy looks down low. But the Badger defense has kept them in this game. UW has already forced eight Carolina turnovers, capitalizing on those turnovers to the tune of eight points. Wisconsin is unsurprisingly led by senior guard Jordan Taylor with 9 points at the break, with Carolina's Dexter Strickland pacing the Tar Heels with seven. Strickland's 3rd foul, coming on a charging call, could no doubt be a big moment at this game hits the back stretch. For the Badgers, junior forward Mike Bruesewitz has not seen much time, picking up his 2nd foul just under 8 minutes into the game. Bruesewitz should be back on the floor for the start of the half and his contributions will be a have to be big factor if the Badgers want to turn this one around. Second half set to start and its definitely a ballgame.

Its Almost Here

Tip off is just about an hour and a half away in Chapel Hill. There is certainly a buzz around campus, but what is definitely apparent is that people here are accustomed to games like this. A matchup between two top-10 teams is a rarity for Badger fans, but Tar Heel nation expects its team to be in these type of games year in and year out. So even though the #5 and #7 teams in the country are about to square off, it really is just another game at the Dean Dome. One of the things to watch tonight is the health of UNC sophomore forward Harrison Barnes. The reigning ACC rookie of the year is leading the Tar Heels in scoring through the first six games but has been nursing an ankle injury sustained in UNC's 90-80 loss to UNLV on Saturday night. Barnes will play, but his ability to contribute against a tough defensive minded team like UW might be limited, especially when you consider UNC's preference for running the floor. For Wisconsin, it really will be a question of whether this team is for real. Having been challenged very little through six games, we really dont know what to think of this Badger team that hasnt played a game in which the final margin was less than 17. One thing we do know is that senior point guard Jordan Taylor will be ready. The preseason first-team All-America selection has been solid in the early going, preferring to captain the floor and dish the ball off rather than to take control of putting the ball in the basket. Many think that Taylor will need to change this if the Badgers want to shock the Heels, but that might not really be the case. Scoring obviously doesnt hurt, but Taylor's role tonight will be to once again captain the floor and keep the troops in the moment. Taylor has the most experience of anyone on the Badger roster and played a big part in the UW win over Duke just two years ago. Taylor's poise will be the key, much more so than his ability to put up points. Either way, all eyes will be on the Smith Center as the 9:30 tip nears. Should the Badgers somehow pull off an upset win, get ready for a whole lot more national attention placed on the Kohl Center this winter.

UW Rains on BYU and Takes Home Tourney Title

Badgers Rain On BYU Parade, Take Home Tourney Title Having won their first five games by an average of nearly 40 points, Saturday night’s Chicago Invitational Challenge final against BYU was the first real challenge the Badgers have faced thus far in the young season. Although the Badgers (6-0, 0-0) struggled at times against the Cougar zone, they eventually found their stroke from beyond the three-point arc, shooting their way to an 73-56 victory. “We had to learn a bit on the fly,” UW head coach Bo Ryan said after the game. “I thought our guys adjusted well…BYU is a heck of a team and I am sure they are going to do well in their league...I like the way our guys responded.” Sophomore guard Ben Brust took advantage of the shooting space made available by BYU’s matchup zone. The sharpshooting Mundelein, Illinois native overcame a slow start by nailing seven three-point shots to give him a team-high 21 points on the night. Brust led an 11-0 Badger run with three triples early on in the second half that took what had been a back-and-forth game and quickly put the Badgers in firm control. “His moxie when it comes to finding open angles is pretty good,” Ryan said. “And his teammates know it and they find him.” Still, forward Jared Berggren may have played an even bigger role in the UW victory. The redshirt junior finished the game with 13 points and 5 rebounds, but more importantly held BYU forward Brandon Davies in check. Though the highlight reels will be filled with UW’s three-point shooting, it was Wisconsin’s dominance inside that really proved to be the difference. Proving he can still do it all, senior guard Jordan Taylor had his best performance of the season, finishing with 18 points, 8 assists, and 5 rebounds. Between Taylor and Brust, the Badgers outscored BYU guards 39-6, playing a pivotal role in the outcome. Brust, Taylor, and Berggren rode their respective performances to spots on the all-tournament team, with Taylor picking up the trophy as the Tournament MVP. “They were a bit more extended then I thought they would be…” Taylor said. “But we got the win and that’s what is important.” Although the final score was lopsided, Saturday’s win was anything but easy. After the Badgers stormed out of the gates to a 22-10 lead, BYU (4-2, 0-0) came right back with an 18-4 run of their own. Brust’s first three eventually got UW into the locker room with a two-point lead, but after a few more minutes of back and forth play, that Brust-led run put the Badgers in control and sent the game quickly on its way to a lopsided conclusion. “Its fun to play with a guy like {Brust},” Taylor added. “But he’s not the only guy we’ve got who is like that.” Now having passed their first test with flying colors, the Badgers now must quickly prepare for arguably their most difficult matchup of the year. Wednesday night’s matchup against top-ranked North Carolina already had plenty of hype and with Wisconsin now destined for a top 10 position in the polls, that hype will only grow as tip off nears.

Badgers Take Down Bradley, Set for Showdown with BYU

Continuing to take care of their early season business, #11 Wisconsin (5-0, 0-0) got away with sloppy play at times en route to a 66-43 victory over Bradley Friday night in the semifinals of the Chicago Invitational Tournament. Junior forward Ryan Evans scored a career-high 15 points in the victory, joining guard Josh Gasser and Jordan Taylor for the team high. Evans also added 8 rebounds, 4 steals and 2 blocks. Bradley (3-2) was paced by senior forward Taylor Brown, who led all scorers with 18 points on 8-of-20 shooting, picking up 9 rebounds as well. Still, UW did not take care of the ball as well as Badger fans have become accustomed to. Wisconsin turned the ball over 10 times, their first game with double digits in that category. Taylor had an uncharacteristically shaky night with the ball, turning the ball over four times to double his season total in already the fifth game of the young season. But UW still won the turnover battle, forcing the Braves into 17 turnovers of their own. The Badgers also showed an ability to hang with Bradley athletically, matching the Braves step for step on the fast break and notching 18 points off those turnovers. Next on tap for UW is BYU, a fellow Sweet 16 team from last season that returns most of its core, the exception being National Player of the Year Jimmer Fredette. But the Cougars are benefitting from the return of forward Brandon Davies, whose controversial suspension last season really hurt BYU's title hopes. The Cougars come into Saturday off of a 76-55 win over Nevada and are by far the biggest test the Badgers have faced thus far. Saturday also marks the beginning of a five game stretch in which the Badgers will face four teams that reached the NCAA Tournament last season, with the BYU game followed by a date with #1 North Carolina, followed up finally with home games against Marquette and UNLV. Certainly the big wins have given Badger fans something to be excited about, but until UW gets through this stretch, its hard to tell what the season truly has in store.

Badgers Ready For Challenging Stretch Ahead

While there is one game remaining before the Wisconsin men’s basketball team hits the road for the first time, it is hard not to begin thinking about the games that lie beyond Tuesday night’s matchup with Missouri-Kansas City. Starting with Friday night’s Chicago Invitational Semi-Final against Bradley, the Badgers face a five-game stretch that could include four teams who competed in last year’s NCAA Tournament. But before Wisconsin sets its sights on the heart of the non-conference slate, they have one more piece of business to take care of in Madison as they face the Kangaroos of UMKC. More importantly, Tuesday night is the first opportunity for UW head coach Bo Ryan to pick up his 246th win at Wisconsin, tying Walter “Doc” Meanwell for second all-time in Badger history. “I really appreciate what Doc Meanwell meant to the game of basketball,” Ryan said. “Besides winning championships because people in coaching should be known for more than just how many banners they put up.” The ‘Roos head to Madison at 1-3, having never faced the Badgers. They do, however, have a history of facing stiff competition, having consistently played one of the more difficult non-conference schedules among the mid-majors and playing out of the extremely competitive Summit League. Bradley, playing out of the Missouri Valley conference, will likely head into Friday’s matchup at 4-0, having beaten North Dakota 78-69 on Saturday, with a final tune-up against Wofford set for Tuesday night. The Braves—a Sweet 16 team in 2006—have had a few tough seasons since, failing to reach the postseason for the second straight year in a 12-20 campaign last season. Beyond Bradley is where the heat gets turned up as the Badgers will face either a young and talented Nevada team, picked by many as a favorite to win the WAC, or a BYU team fresh off a Sweet 16 appearance last season. With a variety of different competitors slated for the next week, the motto for the Badgers has to be “just win baby”. Nothing but an unblemished record will serve as a solid foundation heading into arguably the most difficult test of the season, the Badgers’ ACC/Big Ten Challenge matchup against top-ranked North Carolina in Chapel Hill. For a team that has not yet played a game this season that remained competitive heading into the second half, the heat will certainly be turned up gradually before the inferno that is the Dean Dome. All the Badgers can do to both prepare for that game and to continue to improve as a team is to keep winning. Three more victories and the focus can finally square up on the Tar Heels.

Badgers Continue To Roll With Rout of Wofford

Wisconsin has a bit of a history with Wofford, with the Terriers having given UW the scare of a lifetime in a 53-49 Badger win in the first round of the 2010 NCAA Tournament. But while there have been many instances of déjà vu for Badger athletics in recent weeks, Saturday night’s rematch was not among those as Wisconsin’s stifling defense eventually led to a 69-33 Badger win. Once again, it was the defense that shined for Wisconsin. After holding their first two opponents to just 29% from the field, the Badgers upped their game early on, holding the Terriers at just 20% in the first twenty minutes of play, heading into the locker room on a 19-2 run that led to a 32-12 halftime lead. “You always like a run like that,” junior forward Ryan Evans said. “But it all starts with defense.” “{Wofford} hurts a lot of teams inside…” UW head coach Bo Ryan said. “If you have people that are committed to {playing good defense}, it tends to make the whole look a lot better.” From there, it was simply an easy cruise toward victory, as Wisconsin continued to extend the lead until it finally reached its peak of 36 following a last second jumper by junior walk-on J.D. Wise, a turnaround attempt that got the Badger bench on its feet with less than a minute remaining in the game. Once again, the Badger scoring came from across the board. Three Badgers finished Saturday in double digits, led by sophomore guard Josh Gasser, whose four-for-four performance from beyond the arc led to a 16-point night. “I have more confidence this year and that just comes with maturing from freshman year to sophomore year…” Gasser said. “A lot of guys are knocking down shots and that just leaves me open.” Perhaps the biggest story was the man who was not involved heavily in the scoring, senior guard Jordan Taylor. Having been called upon to put points on the board throughout last season’s Sweet 16 campaign, the preseason first-team All-American point guard took command of the troops quietly on Saturday, only attempting three shots in the game and finishing the night with just four points. Once again, Taylor was ultra-efficient, racking up four assists without committing a turnover. “We all know what he can do,” Evans said. “But he’s just playing real team ball right now.” When the Badgers are able to get scoring from anywhere, opponents are finding them tough to defend. Add in the versatility of the Badger big men, their capability of shooting from distance, and you have a formula for success that has kept UW virtually unbeatable at home under Bo Ryan. “I think they’re very good…” Wofford head coach Mike Young said after the game. “It requires a level of awareness and a level of toughness to guard that. Such a grind, such a grind to play the Badgers.” The Badgers have one more warm-up in Madison as part of the Chicago Invitational when they face UMKC on Tuesday night. After that, UW heads south to face Bradley in the Chicago Invitational with a Saturday contest against either BYU or Nevada to round out the pre-UNC portion of the nonconference schedule. Three more victories and the Badgers have the table set for a big-time match-up in Chapel Hill.

Ted Porath- Familiar Wofford Heading to Madison

The No. 13 Badgers (3-0) will host the Wofford Terriers Saturday night at the Kohl Center. The Badgers have looked rather impressive in their first two games, winning them by 54 and 27, respectively. In these games the Wisconsin offense has averaged 76.5 points per game and is shooting over 50 percent from the field. What has really caught the eye of everyone though has been the Badgers’ ability to make three point shots. The Badgers made 15 against Kennesaw State and 10 against Colgate, shooting over 52 percent from three in those two games. “If that’s what the defense is giving us, we’ll take it,” Head Coach Bo Ryan said of his team shooting so many threes. “I don’t think there was one three in there that was really a bad three.” The star of the Badger offense thus far has been sophomore guard Ben Brust, who has come off the bench to be a spark plug and an x-factor for Wisconsin. Brust has averaged 15.5 points in the first two games, hitting 50 percent of his shots and making eight of his 16 attempted threes. While it has been Ben’s shooting ability that has gotten him all the press, he has been playing solid defense this year and been contributing in all other facets of the game. Coach Ryan emphasized that this is why Ben has gotten his opportunity this year. “Ben can hunt a shot down pretty well, but defensively and ball-handling and decision-making [he had work to do],” Ryan said. “If a guy’s ready he’ll play, if a guy isn’t he works his way into playing, but now he’s trying to be a defensive player and a good passer and a good rebounder. Wisconsin’s ability to defend has just as much to do with their winning this year as their ability to knock down shots, if not more. The Badgers have been able to hold their two opponents to an average of only a measly 36 points per game, and in these games the Badgers have been able to hold their opponents to contested jump shots, resulting in very low percentage from the field (29 percent). Typical though of a Bo Ryan coached team, Wisconsin, despite its success, feels it can improve defensively. Wofford is coming into Saturday’s game having rebounded off of its first loss against Georgia to win its last game against Emory & Henry 70-55 on Sunday. While Wofford might not seem like a tough opponent, the Badgers should ask the 2009 Badgers about just how tough they are to beat; Wofford played Wisconsin in the first round of the NCAA tournament and was leading in the game but ended up losing by only four points. Wofford is coming off its second-straight Southern Conference title, and though they have lost four of their starters from last year’s team, including SoCon player of the year Noah Dahlman, they have a legacy of winning which means they will not be afraid of Wisconsin or coming to the Kohl Center.

Ted Porath- Badgers Rout Colgate Despite Sloppy Play

After a resounding 54 point victory against Kennesaw State on Saturday, in which the Badgers shot 15-25 from behind the arc and moved up one spot to No. 14 in the AP Poll, Wisconsin looked to pick up its second regular season win against the Colgate Raiders of the Patriot League in the teams’ first ever matchup. The Badgers (2-0) were able to pick up another easy win as they beat the Colgate Raiders (1-1) 68-41. This was Wisconsin’s 21st consecutive win at the Kohl Center and the 38th in their last 39 home games. The Badgers came out firing in the first half once again, making seven of their first 11 three pointers and shot 52 percent overall to score 42 first half points. The second half was more of a struggle for the Badger offense, scoring only 26 points. The main reason for this was an over eight minute shooting funk at the beginning of the second half in which Wisconsin missed 12 of their first 13 shots, including a 0 for 9 stretch. Coach Bo Ryan was not concerned, chalking this up to simply missing shots. “Sometimes shots don’t go down and that’s why you take the entity. You can’t take a minute here, five minutes there,” Ryan said. “Basketball can be that way sometimes; sometimes the shots just aren’t going.” Despite a worse shooting percentage from the field in this game (44.3 percent), the Badgers were still able to be effective offensively, as they were dominant down low, outscoring Colgate 32-12 in the paint and were once again able to shoot a high percentage from three, making 10 of their 23 shots behind the arc. Leading the way for the Badgers was once again sophomore Ben Brust, who is proving to be an x-factor as the sixth man. After hitting four out of eight threes in Saturday’s game, Brust wasted no time to get acclimated to Wednesday night’s game. Brust was once again a force coming off the bench, staying red hot making 4 out his first five threes and scoring 12 of the Badgers first 32 points. Though Brust was less effective on offense in the second half, he was still able to come away with 17 points for the game. Junior center Jared Berggren was big reason the Badgers controlled the paint, scoring 9 points and hitting the boards for 7 rebounds. After a solid performance in the Badgers’ first game he backed it up in the second and could be the force in the paint that the Badgers desperately need down the road this year. The Badgers once again played defense, getting deflections and filling passing lanes, which allowed them come up with11 steals and outscore Colgate 9-0 on the fast break. Junior forward Ryan Evans was a big contributor to that, contributing with four steals of his own to go along with his seven points. Despite the Badgers’ success thus far, they will have to improve on their free throw shooting if they are to be an elite team this year. This is surprising as Bo Ryan’s teams are usually one of the best in the country at the charity stripe. The Badgers only made four out of 14 free throws against Colgate and have only shot 52 percent on the year at the line. The Badgers will now shift their focus to the Wofford Terriers, who come to Madison Saturday night. Wofford is 1-1, having lost to Georgia on the road in their first game and beating Emory & Henry 70-55 at home in their next game.

UW Ready For Raiders

There was plenty to talk about following Wisconsin’s 85-31 season opening win over Kennesaw State. From the record-tying first half in which the Badgers only gave up 8 points to the 54 point margin of victory, their largest since 2006, the season opener was certainly a wake up call to a UW fan base heading into yet another season not knowing what to expect. Having dismantled a somewhat one-dimensional Owl team Saturday, Wisconsin now faces the challenge of facing a much more disciplined, multi-dimensional Colgate team. “We know the experience level of most teams is going to go up {from Kennesaw State},” UW head coach Bo Ryan said Monday. “They’ll play better together and play better off each other on both ends of the court.” Colgate is one of those teams, led by two seniors in guard Mike Venezia and forward Sterling Melville who combined for 39 points in Colgate’s 78-74 season opening win over Binghamton, the Raiders’ first season opening win in three years. “You like to play good teams earlier in the year that can prepare you for the Big Ten season and for tougher non-conference play,” sophomore guard Josh Gasser said. “We know Colgate is going to be a good team, they are well coached and they run their system right.” One way that UW figures to combat that system is by making sure that the frontcourt remains a presence both in terms of scoring and on the boards, an area where the size advantage UW has should allow them to dominate. Juniors Jared Berggren and Ryan Evans both finished Saturday’s game in double-digits scoring, with fellow junior Mike Bruesewitz adding a 7-point, 4-assist, and 8-rebound performance of his own. Bruesewitz and the rest of the big men have focused not only on providing a boost to the team’s point totals, but more importantly on taking care of the little things that may or may not show up on the box score. “There was times when I maybe could have taken a shot but I passed up a good shot for a great shot,” Bruesewitz said. “That’s how you shoot 65% from three is when you have a lot of guys who are unselfish. Little things are so important and they contribute to why we’re so efficient offensively.” The emphasis on the little things goes beyond just the big men up front. Senior guard Jordan Taylor, having led the country in assist-to-turnover ratio last season, turned in another efficient performance Saturday with 7 assists and no turnovers. “Jordan is obviously a good scorer pretty much whenever he wants but teams are going to take him away,” sophomore guard Josh Gasser said. “He’s such a good point guard that he wont make bad decisions and he will get other guys involved.” One of those guys Taylor will look for on Wednesday is sophomore guard Ben Brust. Having only seen minimal time during his freshman year, Brust has surged onto the scene early this year, finishing Saturday’s regular season opener with a team-high 14 points coming off the bench. “When I did get those opportunities {last season} and I watched myself not have success, it just eats at you,” Brust said. “I just looked back and I said I would never let that happened again.” Brust is not alone in playing with that chip on his shoulder, as the drive to continue to improve and to continue to succeed seems to permeate the entire Badger roster. So while Colgate comes to Madison with an experienced and talented group of players primed to pull off the upset, Wisconsin simply doesn’t seem ready to let anything like that happen anytime soon.

Ted Porath- Badgers Start off Season With Blowout Win

The AP preseason No. 15 Badgers men’s basketball team took on the Kennesaw State Fighting Owls on Saturday in the first ever meeting between the two teams. After handling UW Stevens Point in their one and only exhibition game, 80-54, Wisconsin looked to continue their winning ways in their first regular season tussle of the year. Continue their winning ways they did, playing soundly on both ends of the court and running the Owls out of the gym to the tune of an 85-31 drubbing. Early in the game it was clear that that Saturday’s game was going to go their way, despite Spencer Dixon banking in the first shot of the ball game to put the Owls up 3-0. Any hopes Kennesaw State had of winning the game were dashed by a 16-0 run by Wisconsin that included two threes by junior Mike Bruesewitz that gave the team the early lead that they would not relinquish. The Badgers defense, however, had a lot to do with this sound victory, playing great team defense and relegating Kennesaw State to contested jump shots most of the first half as the Owls shot a paltry 13 percent from the field, only making three of their first 23 shots and scoring only eight points in the process. It was the exact opposite for the Badgers offense, as they came out firing on all cylinders. The Badgers shot 54 percent from the field in the first half, with a variety of Badgers combining to shoot seven out of 12 from behind the arc. The beat continued on into the second half as the Badgers ended the game shooting 15-25 from behind the arc and shooting 59 percent from the field. The secret to the Badgers success on offense was making the unselfish extra passes that allowed Wisconsin players to constantly shoot and make open shots, especially three-pointers. This was evident as the Badgers had assists on 23 of their 30 made baskets. The Badgers also dominated the battle of the boards, out-rebounding the Owls 41-20. Leading the way for the Badgers offense were sophomore Josh Gasser and freshman Ben Brust, with each scoring 14 points. Gasser, who also had four rebounds and four assists, was unconscious shooting the ball, never missing a shot as he went four for four from three and made both of his free throw attempts. Brust was a spark plug off the bench, playing well at both ends of the court. Brust was active on defense and stellar on offense hitting three after three, finishing five of 11 from the field and four for eight from downtown. With this game being the blowout that it was, head coach Bo Ryan was able to sub-in a variety of players. Normally this type of substituting throws off a team’s chemistry and thus play becomes sloppy, but this was not the case as five different Wisconsin players scored in double figures and ten different Badgers were able to put up points in the box score. “I thought all the gears were pretty much meshing no matter who was on the court,” Ryan said. “And that’s a good sign.” This balanced scoring is definitely a great sign for a Wisconsin basketball team that, with the loss of Leuer, Nankivil and Jarmusz, had faced questions all off-season about who else besides preseason all-American Jordan Taylor was going to be able put the ball in the basket. The Badgers’ next game will be on Wednesday night at the Kohl Center against the Colgate Raiders of the Patriot League, who won their first game of the year, defeating the Binghamton Bearcats of the American East, 78-74.

Josh Schur- Freshman Class Ready for New Challenge

Josh Schur- Each year brings new promise for Wisconsin men’s basketball, and Badger freshmen certainly figure to play a role in fulfilling that promise. While there may not be any big name recruits, the incoming class certainly has a lot to offer. The five freshmen each bring something different to the table, and the talent of the freshman class is certainly evident. The five freshmen include guards George Marshall, Jordan Smith, and Traevon Jackson, forward Jared Uthoff, and big man Frank Kaminsky. “They have different types of players across the board…” Sophomore guard Ben Brust said. “So it’s good that it’s pretty diverse and they all bring something different to the table.” The Badgers seemingly get a little bit of everything out of the freshman, as not only the height, but also the strengths of the players cover nearly every aspect of Wisconsin basketball. “I would have to go with my offense, especially my post offense,” Kaminksy said when asked about his main strengths. While the former Benet Academy star was brought to Madison more for his offense, the speedy Marshall seems to be able to pick it up more on the defensive end. “I take great pride in my defense,” Marshall said. “That’s definitely another one of my strengths.” From the solid post game of Kaminsky to the quick hands of Marshall, the Badgers definitely get contributions all across the board. It is hard to pick out many similarities between the freshmen, but the difference in their individual play doesn’t seem to affect the chemistry with the team. “Theyre all good guys, they welcomed me with open arms and its been a pretty easy process…” Marshall said. “I feel like I learn something everyday” Fitting into a new system can be difficult for any new player, and the transition from high school to college is always a big leap. For these freshman though, the experienced veterans on the team have made the change much easier. From senior guard Jordan Taylor, to junior forward Jared Berggren, the forwards and guards alike both have the leadership above them to succeed in the system right away. “The leadership has been very good, Jared Berggren and Jordan Taylor are definitely the leaders out there and have been teaching me everything,” Kaminsky said. “I have been learning from them everyday. Mike Bruesewitz helps me out a lot too and the coaching staff is great.” While history may show that freshmen playing time isn’t easy to come by at Wisconsin, the players realize that the work they put in everyday will eventually lead to chances to play down the road. The start of the season is finally here, and the excitement for not only the upcoming season, but also the years down the road, is definitely at a high.

Badgers Start Off Season Right With Win Over Pointers

Capping off a busy day and night of Badger athletics in Madison, the UW men’s basketball team got their season off to a solid start with an 80-54 over Division 3 powerhouse UW-Stevens Point in the Badgers’ lone exhibition game of the season.

Junior forward Ryan Evans, thrust into the starting lineup following the departure of three seniors from last year’s front court, led the way with 16 points on 7 of 10 shooting in 23 minutes. Sophomore guard Ben Brust added 14 of his own, while junior forward Jared Berggren and sophomore guard Josh Gasser rounded out a group of four Badgers in double figures with 12 and 10 points respectively.

The scoring outburst by Berggren and Evans was particularly welcoming, with the front court completely revamped from last season.

“I didn’t notice anything I haven’t known for a while…” senior guard Jordan Taylor said. “They know what they’re capable of, they’re really good players and they’re just getting a chance to show it now.”

“We’ve known we can do this kind of stuff,” Evans said. “But with Jon and Keaton {Nankivil} leaving, we know we’ve got to step up a little more.”

After a season in which UW relied heavily upon the scoring of Jon Leuer and Taylor, Badger fans were treated to a much more spread out scoring attack as the Badgers managed to hit the 80-point mark despite Taylor only finishing with 8 points on 3/6 shooting. The senior guard made his presence well known throughout, however, as he finished the game with a game-high 7 assists to just one turnover.

“Jordan wasn’t looking to do anything but run the show,” Ryan said of Taylor. “If the shots were there then great…that’s when you know you’ve got a good point guard.”

The Pointers hung in the game through the first half, drawing within 10 after opening the second half with a score, but quickly fading as the Badgers size and strength began to take its toll. Senior guard Dan Tilema led the way for Stevens Point with 24 points on 8/17 shooting, but ultimately it wasn’t enough to keep pace as the Pointers faded from a 62% effort from the field in the first half to shoot just 32% in the second half.

“It seems like every time you play one of these games, there’s a guy who gets hot,” Ryan said. “You just can’t give him open looks and we did a much better job of that in the 2nd half.”

The Badgers were very aggressive on the defensive end throughout the game, forcing Stevens Point into committing 18 turnovers, a high tally for a Pointer program known throughout the division three world for its ability to take care of the ball.

While the positives were everywhere for UW, one area that will certainly get emphasis in the break down is the free throw shooting. A season after nearing setting an NCAA record for their proficiency at the line, the Badgers were just 6/12 from the charity stripe in the opener, a far cry from last season’s 81.4% season total.

“You remember its who is shooting them…” Ryan said. “Last year, the right guys got fouled, confident shooters. But yeah, its early.”

The Badgers now have another week to batten up the hatches before opening the regular season next Saturday against Kennesaw State. Tip off is at noon at the Kohl Center.

Josh Schur- Badgers Continue To Grind Away in Final Week of Preseason

Josh Schur-

It is obvious that the Wisconsin men’s basketball team is ready for the season to begin.

With their first exhibition game against UW- Stevens Point on November 5th approaching, the team is now in the process of putting some finishing touches on the usual style of play for Wisconsin basketball, hard nosed and fundamentally sound.

The battle for playing time is still fairly open as sophomore guard Ben Brust and freshman forward Jarrod Uthoff saw extended time today with the first team during practice and took advantage. Brust especially has been playing well, as he seems to have improved upon every aspect of his game. During the red-white scrimmage on Sunday, Brust had 22 points in a performance that clearly showed his improvement from last year, as well as his talent.

Along with Uthoff, fellow freshman Frank Kaminksy also played with the first team, and showed his versatility in the post as well as on the perimeter. After the scrimmage, the Badgers showed some of their strengths in their shooting and passing drills. As always, it was impressive to see nearly every Wisconsin big man making their long-range jump shots with ease, and this poses a threat for opposing defenses every game.

The interior passing of the Badgers was also on display during the scrimmage, and the drills at the end of practice showed how it is a point of emphasis in the Badger game plan.

As all practices end, the free-throw shooting was nearly perfect for the Badgers. This factor alone shows how this team should have the ability to close out games, and their style of play as a whole looked very solid today.

UW Basketball Offers Badger Nation Reprieve From Football Disappointment

Badger football has taken us on a roller coaster ride this season. The arrival of Russell Wilson immediately brought with it the expectation not simply of a return trip to the Rose Bowl, but rather a first-time trip to the BCS Championship game. Even the most impartial of media types were talking as if the Big Ten title game was a foregone conclusion.

Well, two hail marys later these pundits are having to eat their words (myself included, although I did feel OSU would take down the Badgers after what happened in Madison last season). Wisconsin fans everywhere are having to be pulled off the ledge, dreading the thought of seeing their beloved Badgers close out the season on December 28th with Champs Sports Bowl patches on their jerseys.

Heck, remember the laughter that erupted when it was announced after the win over Indiana that the Badgers were now bowl eligible?

As if that mattered. Well, apparently it did.

Anyway, for those of you looking to get away from the disappointment that has occurred on the gridiron, Bo Ryan's squad can pretty confidently offer you a set of reasonable and excitement-worthy expectations that will almost surely be met come season's end.

National championship? Well, basketball is a whole different animal and a national title is a crapshoot even for the best teams in the nation. But Ryan has proven that the Badgers will have a shot each and every season, having qualified for the NCAA Tournament every year during his tenure in Madison.

Conference Championship? Again, they will definitely be in the hunt. With Ohio State returning sophomore forward Jared Sullinger and fellow sophomore Aaron Craft manning the point, the Buckeyes will enter the 2011-2012 season as the clear favorites to take home the Big Ten crown.

But you can be sure Ryan's crew will give the Buckeyes a run for their money. The Badgers knocked off a then-undefeated Buckeye team at the Kohl Center last season and will certainly have a shot to do the same come February 4th.

Ryan has never finished outside of the top 4 in the Big Ten. Ever. Not even Tom Izzo or Bob Knight, legends in the game, can claim that accomplishment. As long as Bo Ryan is manning the sidelines for the Badgers, you can be sure that UW will have a hand in the title race in the Big Ten.

This season, the Badgers also have a number of intriguing non-conference matchups. After last season's dismal home non-conference slate, this season includes trips to Madison by Marquette, UNLV, and always-dangerous Wofford, with the Badgers set to take a trip to Chapel Hill to face #1 UNC in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge.

So if you are beginning to tire of the angst brought on by the disappointment of the Badger football season, shift your focus over to the Kohl Center where a team ready to contend for a conference and maybe even a national title is just about ready to begin its season.

New Look Badgers Debut in Red-White Scrimmage

Having lost an entire front court to graduation, UW fans expected change heading into the 2011-2012 men’s basketball season, but had no clue what that change would be. Sunday Badger nation got their first look at the new product, as Wisconsin debuted a team with much more emphasis on depth and physicality than on star players and big time scorers.

Perhaps the biggest story to come out of the Red Team’s 72-56 victory was the leading scorer, a point guard not named Jordan Taylor but rather Ben Brust, the sophomore who spent last season as the point guard for UW’s scout team.

“His decision making as a point guard wasn’t as good as it is now…” UW head coach Bo Ryan said after the game. “He’s quick, we always knew that. He’s even quicker now.”

The Hawthorn Woods, Illinois native finished Sunday’s scrimmage with a game-high 22 points while also adding four assists and three rebounds in the Red team victory.

“Its nothing that we haven’t seen before,” Taylor said of Brust’s scoring. “Its just something new to the fans. Its no surprise to us.”

With the guard positions taken by Taylor and fellow sophomore Josh Gasser, Brust is looking to take hold of that third guard spot, a role the Badgers need to fill in order to have the kind of depth necessary to endure the brutal Big Ten season.

“I want that,” Brust said of taking on the third guard role. “I want to be out with the guys helping the team and winning games.”

Taylor showed flashes of last year’s brilliance, but was clearly suffering from some rust after having surgery in the off-season, finishing the game with 16 points to lead the White side.

With both returning starters filling the guard spots, much of the attention heading into Sunday’s scrimmage centered around the new-look front court, comprised largely of players with plenty of experience in a Badger uniform, but little experience in a starting role.

Juniors Mike Bruesewitz and Jared Berggren certainly showed their capability of scoring, each posting 18 points for the red side, many of those coming on the interior. Junior Ryan Evans also got into the scoring act, putting up a double-digit effort for the White squad and creating several open looks from mid range, something he has thrived on thus far in his Badger career.

If Badger fans are looking for one player to replace the scoring of Jon Leuer and Keaton Nankivil, they will never find one. But with the depth this year’s team seems to have, it doesn’t appear that the scoring will be lost.

In addition to additional depth, especially in the frontcourt, the Badgers will likely be a more dynamic team on the offensive end, a welcome sight for fans who are beginning to tire of the slow paced Wisconsin offense of recent years.

The Badgers now set their sights on the beginning of the season, with an exhibition game against UW-Stevens Point coming up on Saturday night.

Badger nation’s BCS hopes may have been dashed, but there is plenty of reason to get excited about UW basketball.